Supporting Communities reports on Tenant Participation Strategy progress
/The Tenant Participation Strategy for NI (2015-2020) called for the establishment of an Independent Tenant Organisation. Supporting Communities won the tender for this contract in 2017 and has since taken on responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the Strategy and supporting all social housing tenants and staff to develop the skills needed for effective participation.
As we look forward to a new strategy for 2021 and beyond, we are pleased to report on the progress we have made to date. (The report presentation is below.)
We have delivered the main objectives of the first Tenant Participation Strategy, including developing TP Guidance and establishing a Housing Policy Panel made up of tenants from 50% of Northern Ireland's social landlords. We are contributing to the Department for Communities' review of the existing strategy and look forward to strengthening and improving what has already been accomplished.
In his forward to the report, Supporting Communities’ Cheif Executive Colm McDaid said, “In our role as ITO, we have expanded our scope to help other social landlords set up structures that work for their businesses and their tenants. Tenant participation is thriving in Northern Ireland, but we cannot and will not rest on these laurels. I have laid out a 5 point plan to take tenant participation to the next level, which we look forward to implementing with our partners in the housing sector.”
Supporting Communities has been working with the Department for Communities on a pre-consultation process to develop the next TP Strategy. Unfortunately, the formal consultation has now been paused due to resourcing issues at the Department and will be picked up as soon as possible. The Department advises housing associations to extend their own tenant participation strategies while we await news on the next TP Strategy for Northern Ireland.
We look forward to building on the success of the first TP Strategy and adding new ingredients to the mix which we feel will take us to the 'next level' of tenant participation in Northern Ireland.
